Guatemalans living in the United States can vote in Guatemala’s national elections at the polling centres the TSE enables — but only for the presidential and vice-presidential ballot. The Electoral and Political Parties Law (Art. 12, paragraphs added by Decree 26-2016) creates the vote abroad for those offices only. This guide walks the procedure under the Regulation for Voting Abroad (TSE Agreement 274-2016), as amended by Agreements 59-2026 and 242-2026, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In short: Guatemalans in the USA can vote only for President and Vice President. To register or update your residence you need a valid DPI; a valid passport works only if you already registered your DPI with the TSE (Art. 5). To vote you identify yourself with a valid DPI or passport, at any enabled polling centre abroad (Art. 8). The TSE does not charge (Electoral Law, Arts. 8 and 225). Deadline: at least three months before the election (Art. 6); the election is planned for 27 June 2027 (TSE preliminary timetable). On 30 September 2026, the votoenelextranjero.tse.org.gt portal returned HTTP error 526 and migrante.tse.org.gt returned error 503.
On deadlines: the legal deadline is the one in Article 6 of the Regulation for Voting Abroad (no less than three months before the first presidential election). The exact 2027 closing date depends on the call-for-elections decree, planned for 22 January 2027. Update, 1 October 2026: the government news agency AGN reported on 30 September 2026 that the TSE deadline to register or update data is 20 March 2027.
What you can vote for from abroad
| Office | Votable from USA? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| President + Vice President (first round) | Yes | Electoral Law, Art. 12; Regulation for Voting Abroad, Art. 1 |
| President + Vice President (runoff) | Yes | Electoral Law, Art. 12 (the vote abroad is cast on the same date as in Guatemala) |
| Diputados al Congreso de la República | No | Electoral Law, Art. 12 (President and Vice President only) |
| Diputados al Parlamento Centroamericano (Parlacén) | No | Electoral Law, Art. 12 |
| Alcaldes y Corporaciones Municipales | No | Electoral Law, Art. 12 |
The 2027 framework: what changed in 2026
TSE Agreements 59-2026 (26 February 2026) and 242-2026 (15 July 2026) amended the Regulation for Voting Abroad. The current text, in the TSE compilation, says:
- ID to register (Art. 5). A valid DPI is required. A valid passport can be used only when the citizen already registered their DPI to exercise their civic rights and duties. It does not replace the DPI for someone who never registered it.
- ID to vote (Art. 8). You identify yourself with a valid DPI or passport.
- Vote at any enabled centre (Arts. 8, 10 and 10 Bis). Registration on the roll abroad lets you vote at any enabled polling centre abroad, and Article 10 Bis tells the TSE to implement a system so each person votes only once.
- Voting method (Art. 11). The TSE sets it in the call-for-elections decree, according to its resources.
Infobae (23 April 2026) covered a joint TSE-MINEX announcement on options for voting outside Guatemala (before July’s Agreement 242-2026); the detail above comes from the text of the Regulation, not the press report.
Documents you need
To register or update your residence (Regulation for Voting Abroad, Art. 5):
- Valid DPI (Documento Personal de Identificación), issued in Guatemala or at a consulate.
- Or a valid Guatemalan passport, only if you already registered your DPI with the TSE.
To vote (Art. 8): a valid DPI or passport, being on the Electoral Roll Abroad, being a citizen, and not having already voted in that election.
Plus:
- Electoral residence abroad. The roll abroad is made up of people who register or move their electoral residence abroad within the legal deadline (Art. 4). If your electoral residence is still a municipality in Guatemala, move it abroad before the deadline (Arts. 6 and 7).
Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Voter registration (empadronamiento) | Free — Electoral Law, Art. 8 |
| Residence update | No cost — Electoral Law, Art. 225 |
| Voting | The TSE does not charge |
| Prerequisite: DPI at consulate | US$15 + entrega US$15 (Acuerdo 15-2020 Art. 8) |
| Prerequisite: Guatemalan passport at consulate | Per current MINEX passport schedule (see passport from USA) |
The voting procedure itself is free. Costs you incur are upstream (getting/renewing your DPI or passport so you have valid ID).
Timeline
| Stage | When |
|---|---|
Voting-abroad portal (votoenelextranjero.tse.org.gt) | HTTP error 526 on 30 September 2026; migrante.tse.org.gt, error 503 |
| 2027 call for elections | Planned for 22 January 2027 (TSE preliminary timetable) |
| Deadline to register or update your residence | No less than three months before the election (Regulation for Voting Abroad, Art. 6) |
| 2027 districts and voting method | Set by the call-for-elections decree (Arts. 9 and 11) |
| 2027 first round | 27 June 2027 (TSE preliminary date) |
| 2027 second round (if needed) | 22 August 2027 (TSE preliminary date) |
| Authorities take office | 14 January 2028 (Agencia Ocote, citing the preliminary timetable) |
With the election planned for 27 June 2027, the three-month rule in Article 6 points to late March 2027; the exact date depends on the call-for-elections decree. AGN reported on 30 September 2026 that the TSE deadline to register or update data is 20 March 2027, after which the TSE begins cleaning the roll before publishing it in April. The same report put the roll abroad at 95,274 citizens; our TSE numbers page for Guatemalans in the US tracks those figures.
Where to vote in the USA
In 2023 the TSE set up 17 polling centres in 15 US cities, in four districts. According to the TSE PDF “Centros de Votación en Estados Unidos” (2023 General Elections):
- Southeast: Miami and Orlando (FL), Atlanta (GA), Raleigh and Charlotte (NC)
- Central: Chicago (IL), Dallas and Houston (TX)
- Northeast: Trenton (NJ), Queens (NY, 2 centres), Arlington (VA)
- West: Los Angeles (CA, 2 centres), San Francisco and San Diego (CA), Henderson (NV)
For 2027, registration on the roll abroad lets you vote at any enabled polling centre abroad (Regulation, Art. 8, amended 2026). Practical effect: if you live in Dallas but happen to be in New York on election day, you can vote at an enabled centre there.
For state-by-state lookup of the consulate that serves you, see the consulate finder.
Step-by-step
1. Confirm your identification is valid
- If you have a DPI: check the expiration date. If expired or expiring before the 2027 election, renew or replace at your consulate. See DPI from USA and replace lost DPI from USA.
- If you want to use a Guatemalan passport, Article 5 of the Regulation requires that you already registered your DPI with the TSE; to vote, the document must be valid (Art. 8).
2. Register or move your residence abroad
Article 7 of the Regulation gives four channels: Citizens Registry offices in Guatemala, the TSE-authorised website, TSE desks in consulates, and desks outside consulates coordinated with the Foreign Ministry. The TSE website links to votoenelextranjero.tse.org.gt, which returned HTTP error 526 on 30 September 2026. Do it at least three months before the election (Art. 6).
3. Verify your registration
The TSE registration lookup (tse.org.gt/reg-ciudadanos/sistema-de-estadisticas/consulta-de-afiliacion) asks for your DPI/CUI or ballot number, date of birth and a verification code.
4. Watch for the polling-centre list
The call-for-elections decree sets the districts abroad (Art. 9) and, if the TSE sets up centres beyond the consular offices, Article 12 says this is communicated by whatever means are feasible.
5. Vote on election day
Bring your valid DPI or passport (Art. 8). You vote for President + Vice President only.
6. Second round if needed
According to Agencia Ocote (August 2026), there is a runoff if no presidential candidate wins more than half of the valid votes. The TSE preliminary date is 22 August 2027.
Common pitfalls
- Never moved your residence abroad after migrating. The roll abroad is made up of people who register or move their electoral residence abroad within the deadline (Regulation, Art. 4). Fix this before the deadline.
- Counting on your passport without ever registering your DPI. Article 5 only accepts the passport if you already registered your DPI.
- Confusing voting abroad with the full ballot. From abroad you only vote for President and Vice President (Electoral Law, Art. 12).
- Not having valid ID on election day. Article 8 requires a valid DPI or passport. In 2023, the TSE president said hundreds of people could not vote because they had no DPI, were not registered, or were registered in another city.
What if I’m a dual US-Guatemala citizen?
Guatemala’s constitutional framework (Articles 144-145) and the irrenunciability clause of Decreto 86-96 mean that a person born Guatemalan does not lose Guatemalan citizenship by naturalizing in the USA. From Guatemala’s side, you remain Guatemalan and retain voting rights. From the US side, voting in a foreign election is not an automatic loss of US citizenship — the US State Department’s dual nationality page explicitly confirms the US takes no position on the retention of either citizenship when both exist.
See our dual citizenship guide for the full bilateral framework.
Sources & resources
- TSE — Electoral and Political Parties Law, its Regulation and the Regulation for Voting Abroad (Agreement 274-2016, with amendments 59-2026 and 242-2026):
https://tse.org.gt/images/LEPP2026.pdf(read 2026-09-30) - TSE — US polling centres, 2023 General Elections (PDF): linked from
https://tse.org.gt/direccion-electoral/juntas-receptoras(read 2026-09-30) - TSE — news on the 2023 vote abroad (1,433 votes, 17 centres, 15 cities):
https://www.tse.org.gt/index.php/comunicacion/noticias/864-incrementa-la-participacion-de-guatemaltecos-que-se-manifestaron-con-el-voto-en-el-extranjero(read 2026-09-30) - TSE — 2027 preliminary electoral timetable:
https://tse.org.gt/comunicacion/noticias/tse-presenta-cronograma-electoral-preliminar-para-las-elecciones-generales-y-de-diputados-al-parlamento-centroamericano-2027 - RENAP — DPI required for voting:
https://www.renap.gob.gt/noticias/para-votar-el-dpi-debes-presentar(accessed 2026-05-15) - TSE voting-abroad portal (linked from the TSE website; HTTP 526 on 2026-09-30):
https://votoenelextranjero.tse.org.gt/ - Infobae 2026-04-23 — coverage of the TSE-MINEX announcement:
https://www.infobae.com/guatemala/2026/04/23/el-tribunal-supremo-electoral-y-el-ministerio-de-relaciones-exteriores-amplian-opciones-para-votar-fuera-de-guatemala/(accessed 2026-05-15) - Swearing-in on 14 January 2028: Agencia Ocote (26 August 2026), citing the preliminary timetable
- AGN, 30 September 2026 — TSE registration figures and the 20 March 2027 deadline:
https://agn.gt/tse-fortalece-empadronamiento-de-guatemaltecos-dentro-y-fuera-del-pais/(read 2026-10-01) - Last verified: 2026-09-30 (AGN line: 2026-10-01)
Related pages
- DPI from USA — Get or renew your DPI at a Guatemalan consulate
- Passport from USA — Get your Guatemalan passport (an alternate ID for voting once your DPI is registered)
- Replace lost DPI from USA — If your DPI is lost or stolen before the election
- Dual citizenship Guatemala + USA — Bilateral framework for US-naturalized Guatemalans
- Find your consulate — State-by-state lookup of nearest consular site
- TSE Migrant Vote from USA — the same process from the TSE side
- DPI desde USA (ES) — Same DPI procedure in Spanish
- Pasaporte desde USA (ES) — Passport procedure in Spanish
- All Guatemalan consulates in USA — Full directory
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I vote in Guatemala's elections from the United States?
Yes, but only for President and Vice President — not for Congress, the Central American Parliament (Parlacén), mayors or municipal councils. The Electoral and Political Parties Law (Art. 12, paragraphs added by Decree 26-2016) creates the vote abroad only for President and Vice President. According to the TSE, voting abroad was first used in 2019; in 2023 there were 17 polling centres in 15 US cities.
What changed with Acuerdo 59-2026?
TSE Agreements 59-2026 (26 February 2026) and 242-2026 (15 July 2026) amended the Regulation for Voting Abroad (Agreement 274-2016). Under the current text: a valid DPI is required to register or update data, and a valid passport only works if the citizen already registered their DPI (Art. 5); to vote you identify yourself with a valid DPI or passport (Art. 8); and registration on the roll abroad lets you vote at any enabled polling centre abroad (Arts. 8 and 10).
What documents do I need to vote from the USA?
To register or update your residence: a valid DPI; a valid passport only if you already registered your DPI (Regulation for Voting Abroad, Art. 5). To vote: a valid DPI or passport (Art. 8). You must also be on the Electoral Roll Abroad: if your electoral residence is still a municipality in Guatemala, move it abroad before the deadline (Arts. 4, 6 and 7).
How much does it cost to register and vote?
The TSE does not charge: Article 8 of the Electoral Law says registration is free, and Article 225 says registering, removing and transferring citizens on the roll, and registration certificates, have no cost. If you do not yet have a DPI or passport, those have separate fees (see our DPI from USA and passport from USA guides).
When is the 2027 deadline to register or update my address?
Article 6 of the Regulation for Voting Abroad requires registering no less than three months before the first presidential election, and updating your residence with the same lead time. The TSE preliminary timetable (June 2026) sets the election for 27 June 2027. On 30 September 2026 the government news agency AGN reported that the TSE deadline to register or update data is 20 March 2027. The portal the TSE website links to (votoenelextranjero.tse.org.gt) returned HTTP error 526 on 30 September 2026, and migrante.tse.org.gt returned error 503.
Where exactly can I vote in the USA?
In 2023 the TSE set up 17 polling centres in 15 US cities, in four districts (TSE list: Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Raleigh, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Trenton, Queens with 2 centres, Arlington, Los Angeles with 2 centres, San Francisco, San Diego and Henderson). For 2027, the districts abroad and the voting method are set in the call-for-elections decree (Arts. 9 and 11), and registration on the roll abroad lets you vote at any enabled centre (Art. 8).
Does voting in Guatemala from abroad affect my US immigration status?
Guatemala’s rules do not make your US status a condition: to vote abroad you identify yourself with a valid DPI or passport (Regulation for Voting Abroad, Art. 8), and the vote is for Guatemala’s President and Vice President only. A person born Guatemalan does not lose Guatemalan nationality by naturalizing in the US, so US naturalized citizens born Guatemalan keep the right — see our dual citizenship guide. This page has no source on whether voting data reaches US immigration authorities or how a US immigration officer would treat it, so if your US status is a concern, ask a US immigration attorney before you go.
💸 Sending money back to Guatemala?
Today the banks we track sell dollars at 1.4-2.6% over the Banguat rate. Wise and Remitly send at the real mid-market rate with a flat fee — and because they're funded from your US bank account or card, they're exempt from the new 2026 federal remittance tax (which does hit cash-based transfers).
